Advantech steps into intelligent services with long-term outlook

Jun 14, 15:32

Industrial PC maker Advantech has stepped into providing intelligent services and expects the business to begin to substantially generate revenues and profits in five years, company chairman KC Liu said at the 2013 shareholders meeting on June 13.

Commentary: Samsung deepens cooperation with Microsoft, paving way to notebook market

Jun 10, 15:49

South Korea-based Samsung Electronics supplies key components such as panels to Microsoft while developing new notebooks using Microsoft's operating systems. Samsung can use discounts on panel sales to obtain further cooperation with Microsoft to strengthen its notebook development.

Google adjusts hardware strategy to expand platform market share

Jun 5, 11:36

According to recent strategy adjustments made by Google, the firm has been shifting focus back to its core business, advertising, and any from developing hardware. After all, Google started out with advertising as its core business, and developing hardware was a method to strengthen the coverage of...

Foxconn, Mozilla cooperate to develop Firefox OS ecosystem

Jun 3, 21:20

Foxconn Electronics (Hon Hai Precision Industry) on June 3 announced the signing of an MoU with Mozilla for strategic cooperation to develop Firefox OS.

Microsoft to focus on Windows 8.1 at Computex, while Google will keep a low profile

Jun 3, 19:22

Computex has been largely centered on Microsoft Windows-related products throughout the history of the show, and a number of Microsoft executives have participated in the event. This year, the new corporate vice president for Microsoft's OEM division, Nick Parker, will be making a presentation, while...

Taiwan market: So-net steps into online games

May 30, 16:20

So-net Entertainment Taiwan, an ISP and provider of payment services to online game operators in Taiwan, on May 29 announced the extension of its business to online gaming services, with the first online game developed by China-based UT Game to be launched in July 2013.

China software industry posts January-April revenues of nearly CNY859 billion, says MIIT

May 30, 13:49

China's software industry generated total revenues of CNY858.918 billion (US$138.17 billion) in January-April 2013, growing 25.2% on year, according to statistics released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

Taiwan market: TWM launches online shopping services

May 28, 22:04

Taiwan Mobile (TWM), one of the three largest mobile telecom carriers in Taiwan, on May 28 launched myfone online shopping services, with customers able to collect deliveries at myfone chain stores or cooperating convenience stores or request express deliveries to designated locations, according to...

China market: Online gaming revenues over CNY 12 billion in 1Q13, says Analysys

May 23, 11:42

Online gaming operators in the China market generated revenues of CNY12.788 billion (US$2.05 billion) during first-quarter 2013, increasing 4.4% sequentially and 13.5% on year, according to Analysys International.

Windows 8 expected to take up 5-8% of global tablet shipments in 2013, say Taiwan makers

May 22, 20:36

Possibly because Microsoft has lowered licensing rates for Windows 8 for use in tablets, many vendors are developing Windows 8 tablets for launch in the second half of 2013, and thus the operating system is expected to account for 5-8% of all tablets shipped globally in 2013, equivalent to a volume...

China market: B2C transaction value over CNY133 billion in 1Q13, says Analysys

May 22, 15:31

In the China market, B2C (business to customer) online shopping operators generated a total sales transaction value of CNY133.12 billion (US$21.38 billion) during the first quarter of 2013, slipping 4% on quarter but growing 96.3% on year, according to China-based consulting company Analysys Interna...

China market: Third-party e-payment services generate CNY1.2 trillion in 1Q13 total trade value, says Analysys

May 21, 15:22

In the China market, third-party e-payment services generated total sales transaction value of CNY1.253 trillion (US$201.2 billion) in first-quarter 2013, rising 3% on quarter and 64.9% on year, according to China-based consulting company Analysys International.

China market: Online advertising valued at CNY18 billion in 1Q13, says Analysys

May 21, 15:09

Providers of online advertising services in the China market generated total revenue of CNY18 billion (US$2.89 billion) during the first quarter of 2013, falling 14.5% on quarter but growing 28.3% on year, according to China-based consulting company Analysys International.

BIOS designers feel the impact from weak PC market

May 20, 15:48

Weak PC sales have impacted BIOS designers such as Insyde Software, Phoenix Technologies and American Megatrends (AMI), prompting them to start taking measures to deal with the impact, according to sources from the upstream supply chain.

Soft-World sees over 50% of 1Q13 profit from 3 subsidiaries

May 17, 15:26

Online games developer Soft-World International has posted net profit of NT$161.4 million (US$5.4 million) for first-quarter 2013, with NT$83.91 million or 52% coming from non-operating investment in three subsidiaries.

Windows 8.1 estimated to launch in late October

May 16, 14:18

Notebooks featuring Microsoft's new Windows 8.1 (Windows Blue) will start volume production in mid-September with the official launch of the operating system estimated to be around late October, revealed sources from related ODMs.

Chunghwa Telecom, IBM cooperate to launch Smart PaaS in Taiwan

May 10, 15:54

Chunghwa Telecom (CHT), the largest fixed-line and mobile telecom carrier in Taiwan, on May 9 announced cooperation with IBM Taiwan to launch Smart PaaS (platform as a service), a complete package of services to help Taiwan-based small- to medium-size ISVs (independent software vendors) develop and...

China software industry posts 1Q13 revenues of nearly CNY619 billion, says MIIT

Apr 29, 21:59

China's software industry generated total sales revenues of CNY618.861 billion (US$99.42 billion) in the first quarter of 2013, growing by 24.7% on year, according to statistics by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

China market: Keyword search advertising valued at CNY7.28 billion in 1Q13, says Analysys

Apr 26, 13:50

Online search engines in the China market generated total revenues of CNY7.28 billion (US$1.17 billion) for keyword search advertising services in the first quarter of 2013, decreasing 10.6% on quarter but increasing 31.7% on year, according to China-based consulting company Analysys International.

CyberLink 1Q13 net profit down on quarter, up on year

Apr 26, 10:16

CyberLink, a Taiwan-based developer/provider of digital multimedia software solutions, posted net profit of NT$198.004 million (US$6.63 million) for the first quarter of 2013, decreasing on quarter by 4.11% but increasing on year by 12.01%, according to the company's financial report released at an...

Syscom Computer sets up CloudMaster joint venture

Apr 25, 13:56

Syscom Computer Engineering, a Taiwan-based IT system integration service provider, on April 24 announced the establishment of CloudMaster, a joint venture with Japan-based Tokai Group with each investing JPY200 million (US$2.01 million).

Taiwan market: NCC plans to cut cable TV pricing to boost digitization

Apr 25, 11:06

Taiwan's National Communications Commission (NCC) on April 24 proposed a draft plan for a progressive downward adjustment in cable TV charges to drive cable TV digitization in Taiwan, according to the agency.

Windows 8 expected to trigger global growth in touch-enabled notebooks, says DisplaySearch

Apr 19, 12:34

The penetration of touch screens in notebooks was under 3% in 2012, but is expected to grow to more than 12% in 2013. This compares to touch-screen penetration of 77% in mobile phones and 100% in tablet PCs, according to research firm DisplaySearch.

Southeast Asia potential market for Taiwan-based Internet service providers, says Google Taiwan head

Apr 18, 13:38

As the population is large and Internet services as well as use of smartphones and other mobile terminal devices are growing rapidly in Southeast Asia, while there are relatively few local players, the region affords many business opportunities for Taiwan-based Internet service providers and content...

Foxconn to pay Microsoft for production of Android/Chrome devices

Apr 17, 22:06

Foxconn Electronics (Hon Hai Precision Industry) on April 17 signed contracts with Microsoft to acquire authorization for patents used in the production of Android- and Chrome-based devices such as smartphones, tablets and TVs.

Microsoft reportedly developing Windows Blue for PC, mobile OS integration

Apr 8, 15:20

Microsoft is reportedly developing Windows Blue as an independent project that will help merge Windows (PC) with Windows Phone. Rumors have also spread that Microsoft is developing another operating system, which will serve as the next-generation Windows and will be released in October.

Taiwan market: GigaCloud launches cloud computing services for SMBs

Apr 3, 10:39

Taiwan-based GigaCloud on April 2 announced the launch of SaaS (software as a service) public cloud computing services in the Taiwan market, targeting small and medium businesses (SMBs), according to the company.

Taiwan market: Google unveils Chinese-language version of YouTube EDU

Apr 2, 12:11

Google has unveiled a Chinese-language version of YouTube EDU, its open platform offering online videotaped courses for learning by Internet users around the world, for the Taiwan market.

Lenovo, HP, Dell to release PCs with Chinese Linux OS in China

Apr 1, 22:59

Lenovo, Hewlett-Packard (HP) and Dell reportedly will launch new PCs featuring a Linux-based Chinese-language operating system, Ubuntu Kylin that has recently been endorsed by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People's Republic of China, in China.

Intel, ARM to developing financial security platforms

Apr 1, 14:38

To push their shares in the mobile device market, Intel and ARM have both recently started strengthening the mobile transaction functions of their platforms.

Intel to showcase latest technology in IDF 2013 Beijing

Mar 29, 14:00

Intel's annual IDF in Beijing, China, will be held from April 10-11 and hosted by Ian Yang, president of Intel China. Top company executives such as senior vice president Kirk Skaugen, vice president Hermann Eul and CTO Justin Rattner will give speeches about the latest platform products and business...

Arbor Technology expects growing revenues from medical applications

Mar 29, 13:56

Taiwan-based industrial PC (IPC) firm Arbor Technology has reported that revenues from medical applications accounted for 38% of total revenues in 2012. According to company CEO, Eric Lee, the medical application market is growing rapidly and the firm aims to increase revenues from the market to above...

China market: Microsoft to launch Surface Pro, say Taiwan makers

Mar 29, 10:56

Microsoft, following the launch of the10.6-inch Surface RT in the China market, will launch the 10.6-inch Windows 8 Surface Pro there on April 2 at a retail price of CNY6,500 (US$1,045) for the 64GB version and CNY7,300 for 128GB, according to sources with Taiwan's supply chain.

Microsoft to merge Windows RT into next-generation Windows OS

Mar 27, 22:18

Microsoft will no longer launch products under its Windows RT line and will instead merge the product line into the software giant's next-generation Windows, codenamed Blue, according to sources from the upstream supply chain.

Apple acquisition of WiFiSlam heating up competition for location-based indoor services, say sources

Mar 27, 14:26

Apple's recent announcement for the acquisition of WiFiSlam, an indoor GPS solutions startup, appears to have attracted much attention as the move is likely to heat up competition between Apple and Google in their race for expanding mapping technologies and related services, according to industry ob...

Intel, LCD TV brands to push full adoption of WiDi

Mar 25, 22:17

Intel is set to promote its Wireless Display (WiDi) technology in 2013 for the technology to become one of the standard PC specifications and LCD TV players including LG, Samsung Electronics and Toshiba will also join the promotion and adopt the WiDi technology into their HDTV products, according to...

Taiwan market: Chunghwa Telecom talking about cooperation with TV vendors for MOD

Mar 25, 14:12

Chunghwa Telecom (CHT), the largest fixed-line telecom carrier in Taiwan, is talking with local LCD TV vendors including Sampo, Tatung and Amtran Technology about cooperation to build set-top boxes into connected TVs for viewing CHT's MOD (multimedia on demand) content, according to CHT.

China software industry January-February revenues top CNY402 billion, says MIIT

Mar 25, 10:23

China's software industry generated revenues of CNY402.263 billion (US$64.57 billion) in January-February 2013, growing 25.4% on year, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

Digitimes Research: More software developers join Android camp

Mar 20, 16:03

More and more software developers and free software projects are willing to join development for the Android platform in view of the dynamic shipment growth demonstrated by Android-based smartphones over the past quarters, during which Android smartphones managed to take up a 70% share of the global...

Commentary: Taiwan cloud industrial parks to face reality check

Mar 20, 15:23

In the fourth quarter of 2012, Taiwan's government began announcing projects regarding government cloud services. In January 2013, the governments of Taipei and New Taipei City both announced plans to cooperate with international software and hardware firms to build cloud clusters and industrial par...

Wistron ITS becomes sales agent for Japan-based TIS, Qualica

Mar 19, 21:22

Wistron Information Technology & Services (Wistron ITS), a business-use software developer belonging to the Wistron Group, on March 19 signed with Japan-based IT system integration service providers TIS Group and Qualica for Taiwan sales agent rights.

Intel uses Hillcrest Labs motion control for set-top boxes

Mar 19, 15:46

Hillcrest Labs has announced that Intel's just-unveiled reference design kit for IPTV set-top boxes (STBs) and media servers will use its motion control technology.

Google executive reshuffle may affect relationship with handset brands, say sources

Mar 15, 15:37

Google's Android chief, Andy Rubin, has stepped down from his current post. If Rubin is assigned to strengthen in-house handset products, it may affect Google's relationship with other handset brands, according to industry observers.

PC supply chain sentiment remains weak despite Microsoft price cuts

Mar 13, 13:46

Despite price breaks offered by Microsoft on its Windows 8 and Office software, sentiment in the PC supply chain still remains weak, in view of orders received in March and second-quarter order visibility at PC chip suppliers, according to industry sources.

Too late for China to develop own mobile operating systems, say Taiwan makers

Mar 7, 11:11

While China Academy of Telecommunication Research under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in its white paper calls for China's development of own operating systems for use in smartphones, tablets and other mobile terminal devices to lessen existing heavy reliance on Google Android,...

Taiwan market: VMware to cooperate with server ODMs for software bundled sale

Mar 6, 15:14

VMware will extend its partnerships from server vendors, such as Cisco Systems, Hewlett-Packard (HP) and IBM, to Taiwan-based server ODMs to pre-install its desktop virtualization software in servers for bundled sale in the Taiwan market beginning from second-quarter 2013, according to VMware Taiwan...

Microsoft to offer discount on Windows 8 OEM prices

Mar 5, 22:21

Viewing that Windows 8 has fallen short of expectations in driving demand mainly because Windows 8 notebooks and tablets are too expensive, Microsoft will lower OEM licensing costs by offering a discount of US$20 for 11.6-inch and below notebooks that are equipped with touch screens, according to Taiwan-based...